


Flowers from your grave

by TenDollar



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, alternative universe, dead bodies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 14:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17427980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TenDollar/pseuds/TenDollar
Summary: When Kunimi reaches the door with a miss piece on it’s lower left corner, he gives it a gentle knock. The door is more delicate than the corpse he’s about to carry.There’s a crash from inside and then a turnip head comes into view.“Oh hey,” Kindaichi says, a panic expression on his face, “I didn’t know you were coming today.”Kunimi raises one of his eyebrows. He hasn’t seen Kindaichi this out of place since his first year of med school. “It’s Monday. I’m here for the body.”(Or Kunimi is a med student in the sixteenth century and Kindaichi is an undertaker who has a heart too big for his own good.)





	Flowers from your grave

**Author's Note:**

> There are mentioning of dead bodies, but none of the dead bodies are any of the haikyuu characters.

The sky is dark even as the full moon shines down on Kunimi. If Kunimi hasn’t walked the same path for the past three years, he might’ve been lost in the dark. Thinking about it, it’s still inconvenient to walk in the pitch black night, but it’ll help him. It’s easier for him to carry what he needs to avoid suspicions. 

Kunimi is required to pay for his medical school tuition tomorrow. Which is a cadaver. 

Kunimi doesn’t understand what’s the point of finding dead bodies anymore. His classmates practically dug all the bodies from all the cemeteries, but it’s still not enough. His school demands all medical student to provide cadavers to dissect. To teach student’s what’s on the inside. Like it’s more important to learn about the dead than to learn about the living. In order to stay in his classes, Kunimi needs to provide a cadaver every month. 

It’s not like Kunimi wants to get closer to those dead bodies than necessary. They reek of death and decay, reminding him of his own fragile mortality. But if it’s the price he needs to pay to become a medical student, then it’s a price he’ll gladly pay.

However, he’s not going to dig up dead bodies himself, because that’s exhausting. Kunimi is nothing but efficient.

When Kunimi reaches the door with a miss piece on it’s lower left corner, he gives it a gentle knock. The door is more delicate than the corpse he’s about to carry.

There’s a crash from inside and then a turnip head comes into view. 

“Oh hey,” Kindaichi says, a panic expression on his face, “I didn’t know you were coming today."

Kunimi raises one of his eyebrows. He hasn’t seen Kindaichi this out of place since his first year of med school. “It’s Monday. I’m here for the body.”

“Oh you are,” Kindaichi scratches his head, stepping back to let Kunimi in, “Is you’re tuition do tomorrow?”

“Yes, it has been for the past three years if you haven’t notice,” Kunimi deadpans, he’s mildly annoyed that Kindaichi isn’t aware of this, but it’s not like Kunimi is someone special to him. It still hurts to know that Kindaichi never pays close attention to him. 

“I’ll get you something to drink first,” Kindaichi pushes him onto the nearest chair. It looks clean enough, other than a bit of blood stain at the edge. Kunimi shutters to think about how many corpse were laid here when there was not enough space. 

Kindaichi disappears into the back and minutes later carrying a cup of water with a plate of salted caramels on the side. Now Kunimi knows that something is up. Sweets are expensive to come by, especially for an normal undertaker like Kindaichi. However, he can’t stop himself from eyeing the caramels. “Stop beating around the bush, where’s the body.” 

“Well, about that,” Kindaichi is rubbing his neck now, a nerve tick he has developed when he’s stressed or don’t know how to say something, “You know.” 

“No I don’t,” Kunimi looks at him, he knows if he doesn’t confront Kindaichi head on, they’ll never get to the bottom of anything. “Just spit it out already.” 

Kindaichi looks at him and then sighs. “Ok, wait here.” 

Kunimi blinks. That was easier than expected. 

A couple seconds later, Kindaichi carries a bag on his shoulder. His face is determined and stony. 

He lays the bag on the table and unzips the zipper. It’s a face of a young girl. She looks no more than seven. Her face is so peaceful that if there is no smell of decay, Kunimi would not have guessed she is dead. Kunimi blinks again. 

“Kindaichi, why her.” Kunimi stares at him, he can see how tense Kindaichi’s jaw is. It’s always hard for him to give Kunimi the bodies, knowing what happens to them later. But it’s the first time that he has given a body of a child. Rich one too, judging by her clothing, a flowery dress with red ribbons on the shoulder. Not everyone can wear lace. The sweets Kindaichi provided was probably from this little girl’s family.

“She’s…” Kindaichi tries to find words for it, “Not many people come here you know. She’s the freshest corpse I can give you.” 

“I don’t need fresh corpses, just corpse with limbs intact and organs inside,” Kunimi looks at Kindaichi, knowing that he’s hiding something, “She’s royalty, or at least someone wealthy. If her family finds out about this, they can execute you. Or at least destroy your shop.” 

Yea, but there’s no one else.” Kindaichi’s eyes stray away, now Kunimi knows there’s something more that Kindaichi isn’t telling him. 

“You’re lying.” 

Kindaichi flinches and he starts to rub his neck again. “You can always read me so well.”

Kunimi tries not to flush at the comment. He doesn’t need Kindaichi to know how much attention Kunimi pays to him. He decides to press a bit more. “Where are the other bodies?”

Kindaichi looks at him and sighs. “Come with me to the back.” 

Kunimi raises his eyebrows. He has never been in the back. Before Kindaichi could change his mind, Kunimi follows him. 

 

\----------------------

 

Kindaichi leads him out to the graveyard. Kunimi looks around. It’s smaller than he imagined, there are fences around the territory. It should be since Kindaichi is the only one maintaining it. Not many people are buried here. Kindaichi is just basic to this undertaker business and not a lot of people trust undertakers anymore since the chance of having their loved ones being sold to an individual with medical purpose is just too high. No one wants their loved ones to be dissected in front of a crowd. 

Kindaichi doesn’t charge Kunimi. He gives Kunimi bodies for free because he’s afraid that Kunimi is going to get executed if authorities finds him digging up bodies from cemeteries. He wants Kunimi to be a doctor because he know that life will be better for Kunimi. When Kindaichi found out that Kunimi got accepted into medical school, he has been providing Kunimi cadavers ever since. Kindaichi is kind like that. 

Kindaichi leads him to a small patch of land near the back of the graveyard. Kunimi can tell that someone is recently buried here judging by the unevenness on the ground and the difference in the color of the dirt. Probably this afternoon. But the weird thing is that there’s no tombstone, not even a stick. 

“Is someone buried under here?” Kunimi asks Kindaichi. 

Yea,” Kindaichi gives a sad smile and kneels down and uncovers the dirt. He digs for a while and uncovers a face of a man. The man eyes are closed and dirts clings onto his face. 

“So, you can’t give me this guy because?” Kunimi asks, a bit creeped out by that fact that Kindaichi is smiling so gently at the corpse. He might be in love but doesn’t mean that he’ll tolerate everything Kindaichi does. Kindaichi having a turnip hairstyle is already crossing the line for him. 

“A guy brought him in this morning. The guy was crying, crying his heart out. He told me that he can’t go anywhere else because he’s afraid that this guy’s body will be taken to be dissected. He doesn’t want that. But he doesn’t want him not to get a burial either. So he begged me to bury him and protect him. He just seem so desperate. I can’t….” Kindaichi looks away. He’s always been too sensitive. 

He’s not made to become a groundskeeper. Maybe a florist or a baker, but nothing like this. It’s eating him from the inside. 

“That’s what made you risk your job by giving me a rich dead girl?” Kunimi asks, can’t imagine how Kindaichi manages to stay in this business for this long.

“You don’t understand,” Kindaichi sighs, “That guy loves him. They were in love. He even asked me to save him a spot next to him so they could be buried together. I know it’s dumb, but it’s the first time that I met someone who’s like me.” 

Kunimi blinks. He never admit his feelings to Kindaichi or even told him he like guys too. Kindaichi, however, always tells Kunimi about people he finds attractive whenever he has the time. Maybe that’s why Kunimi never has the courage to confess, especially knowing that Kindaichi already has a type he likes, and it’s not Kunimi. 

“Why didn’t you put a tombstone for him?” Kunimi asks, trying to avoid the subject. 

“I didn’t want anyone to know that he’s buried here.” Kindaichi covers the man’s face with dirt again. “I feel like it’s safer to pretend that there’s no one here. I even planted flowers so they’ll cover this spot.” 

Kumini hums, thinking about how soft Kindaichi is. It doesn’t make sense how he’s thoughtful in the most unexpected way. However, now he knows, there’s no way he can take the body away from Kindaichi. Kindaichi will probably let him take the dead body if Kunimi really needs it. But Kunimi knows it’ll break Kindaichi’s heart. 

“If you need it,” Kindaichi looks at him now, worrying his bottom lips between his teeth but looking determined as always , “if you really need it, I -” 

“Don’t” Kunimi cuts Kindaichi off, “I’ll find another corpse. I know this man is important to you. I’m not going to take the girl too. You getting executed is not beneficial to me.” 

Kindaichi smiles at him, fill with gratefulness and softness. A smile that doesn’t belong to a 190 cm turnip head but it does. A second later Kindaichi frowns again, “How will you find another corpse?”

Kunimi shrugs. He’s wondering about that himself. Since Kindaichi always provides him with corpse, Kunimi never has to go corpse hunting until now. 

Kindaichi is looking at him. He sighs and stands up. “Well, it’s time to go grave robbing.” 

Kunimi stares at him, wondering if he heard wrong. 

“What?” Kindaichi asks, grabbing a shovel beside the fence, “I can’t have you be kick out of school because you don’t have a cadaver. You’re so close to graduating.” 

“I technically still have a year and I don’t think it’s any of your problem” Kunimi replies dryly, “Plus, where are we going to get the body.” 

“You’re problem is my problem,” Kindaichi smiles at him, already climbing over the fence. The fence is high but Kindaichi is a 190 cm freak while makes it look easy. When he helps Kunimi over it, Kunimi knows that himself is less graceful and more ridiculous. “I overheard from other undertakers where they keep some of their bodies.” 

“So your solution to keep your corpses is to steal other people’s corpses.” Kunimi says, unamused. 

Kindaichi winces, “If you put it like that. But you’re important to me. I don’t want you to be kicked out. You deserve to be a doctor. You’re the smartest person I know. I can tell you’ll do great things” 

Kunimi stares at him. Sometimes he has to remind himself no to take everything Kindaichi says seriously. He’s just so painfully ernest that Kunimi often takes it the wrong way and gets himself into a messy situation. Like his hopeless crush on Kindaichi. 

“Where’s the place again?” Kumini asks, ignoring the pounding of his heart and hoping Kindaichi doesn’t hear it. 

“Come, I’ll even carry the body for you.” Kindaichi leads him into a dark path, which looks like a place where serial killers kill their victims in the most gruesome way possible. Somehow, Kunimi isn’t even afraid. He just follows Kindaichi blindlessly into the unknown. 

 

\-----------------------------

 

Digging up a dead body is not as exciting as his fellow classmates make it sound. It’s dirty, nasty, and tiring. And Kunimi isn’t even the one doing the work. 

Watching Kindaichi uncovering the body with a shovel while trying not to damage the corpse is fascinating. If Kunimi stares at how Kindaichi’s arms muscle move for a bit too long, no one has to know. 

“I didn’t know corpse hunting can be this tiring,” Kunimi says while Kindaichi fills the hole back up, the corpse laying on the side, “I’m exhausted.” 

Kindaichi snorts, but doesn’t calls Kunimi out. 

It’s quiet for the both of them. Kunimi stares at the sky. So dark but he’s comforted that Kindaichi is there with him. They don’t spend this much time with each other anymore. It’s more relaxing than he realizes. He could probably do this another time. 

That is until Kindaichi remembers that he forgot to bring a bag, so he has to carry the corpse on his back, skin to skin. Kunimi knows for a fact that he will never do this again. It’s disgusting. 

“I will never touch you anymore,” Kunimi concludes, looking over at Kindaichi and the corpse. The corpse is a male, slightly shorter than Kindaichi but has a bit more fat. The smell of decaying flesh, especially fat, is something Kunimi can never get used to. 

“You know this is part of my job too,” Even though Kindaichi knows Kunimi is joking, he still separates himself a bit further from Kunimi in order not to let him smell the corpse.“ I touch dead bodies all the time. I only give you the bag because I know you can’t stand the touch or the smell.” 

Kunimi rolls his eyes, not wanting to dwell on Kindaichi’s thoughtfulness. “Digging up your competition's clients and giving them over to your friend is not in the job description.” 

“Well neither is selling my clients to my best friend, but I do that anyways.” 

“Our crime is probably less severe when you give me the bodies before you bury them. We’re probably convicted a major felony now since we dug out a corpse.”

“We?” Kindaichi makes a silly face at Kunimi, “It’s just me. If we get caught, I’m the only one that’s getting convicted. You’ll be safe, you didn’t even touch the body or pick up the shovel.”

“What?” Kunimi’s head snaps towards him. He can’t believe he let Kindaichi do this without him being aware. If they get caught, Kindaichi will get hung for sure. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Kindaichi smiles at him, “We’re almost at your college anyways. If there’s any cops around, I’ll fight them off for you.” 

“I’m not worried about cops, I’m worried about you. What if we get caught. You’ll be sentenced to death.” 

Kindaichi shrugs, “I’ll be fine. I just really want to do this for you.” 

Kunimi glares at him. He never thought having someone stealing a corpse for him is romantic. But at the same time, he never though he would be romantically attracted to a turnip head. 

A couple of minutes later Kunimi’s college came into view. 

“I guess this is where we part,”Kindaichi says as he drops the corpse beside the college door, “Do you need me to carry the body inside?”

“Nah,” Kunimi shakes his head, “The professor will be here in about an hour. I just need to tell him that this cadaver is mine so my tuition will be paid this month. You go home and get so rest. Thanks a lot.” 

“You’re welcome,” Kindaichi turns to leave, but he suddenly stops and turns back, “You know, I really appreciate you not taking the body away. I know it was weirdly sentimental of me to not wanting to give that body up, but thank you for understanding.” 

“No, thank you for even offering him to me,” Kunimi looks at him, “I know he is important to you but you still let me have him. Thank you.” 

“Nothing is more important than you.” Kindaichi suddenly blurts out before his whole face flushes. He looks mortified. 

Kunimi could barely process what Kindaichi said before Kindaichi turns and sprints away from him. 

“I’ll see you next time.” Kindaichi yells, not even looking back. 

Kunimi could see that the tip of his ears and the back of his neck are red. Cute. 

 

\-------------------------

 

Kunimi stays away from Kindaichi for a couple of days. It’s not like Kunimi was disgusted by what Kindaichi said, quite opposite in fact, but Kunimi doesn’t know if Kindaichi means it the way Kunimi wants to mean it.

Kindaichi has said plenty of things before to make Kunimi thinks he’s interested in him. Comments here and there that makes Kunimi thinks Kindaichi has some feeling for him, yet Kunimi knows Kindaichi is straightforward and dense to a fault. But nothing flat out solid like last time. What Kindaichi said sounds like a confession. His actions also make it seems like a confession too. 

But Kunimi wants to be sure before he gets his heart broken by his best friend. More importantly, he wants to maintain whatever they relationship have right now before he ruins it with his stupid feelings. He assumes a platonic relationship with a guy he loves is better than nothing at all. It’s better not to get too greedy. 

However, he can’t avoid Kindaichi forever. He knows that avoiding the situation will make it worst in the long run. For him and for Kindaichi.

Or that’s what he tells himself when he shows up at Kindaichi’s doors again. Stomach turning and already regretting his decision. 

He hears sounds of footsteps before the door swings open with full forces. If Kindaichi is going to open it like that all the time, it’ll be only a matter of days before it falls off. 

Talking about Kindaichi, Kunimi sees him right in front of him. Before he can say anything, the memory of Kindaichi’s confession (he’s calling it a confession for self indulging reasons) flashes before his eyes. Judging by the looks on Kindaichi’s face, he’s probably thinking the same thing. 

“Do you umm, what to come in?” Kindaichi asks as he avoids eye contact and stares at the floor. “I was just watering the plants, you can come in if you like.” 

“Sure,” Kunimi can feel the tension in the air, but he’s determined to ignore it. He’s good at ignoring things. 

After Kindaichi closes the door, he slowly shuffles around Kunimi before leading him to the graveyard. 

He doesn’t know what to expect when he follows Kindaichi to the back, but he has a hard time to wrap his head around the fact that there’s flowers already growing on the dead man’s grave. 

“These flowers sure grow fast,” Kunimi comments, avoid mentioning the logic that dead bodies make perfect fertilizers. 

“Yea, I was planning on giving these flower to his lover,” Kindaichi is now watering them slowly, moving around in order to not step on the grave, “But I think it would be better if I wait for them to grow a bit more before giving them away.”

“You think giving a guy flowers that were growing from his dead lover is a good idea,” Kunimi scrunches his nose together at that mental image, if this is what Kindaichi thinks as romantic then Kunimi needs to reconsider.

“No, I mean,” Kindaichi tries to find a way to explain himself, “I just thought it would be nice. You know, for him to have something to remember his by. That his lover is not gone.” 

“I feel like there’s other ways to express that than giving him flowers which came from his past lover. If I die, don’t give my flowers away. Let them wither away like my body beneath them.” Kunimi paused before continuing, “Also don’t sell me to medical students either. I don’t need my body to be cut open in front of medical students who start oohing and ahhing whenever a professor pulls out an organ.” 

“If you die, I’ll be too heartbroken.” Kindaichi looks at him. Kindaichi’s face is flushed but his gaze is intense, “I’ll bury you in a forest so you won’t be found and you can be surrounded by flowers. I’ll probably die beside you but I’ll leave my body outside to taken away by medical students so they won’t look for you. I won't let any one take you away.” 

“Kindaichi…” Kunimi opens and closes his mouth, unsure what to say. He feels his breath got knocked out of him because of Kindaichi’s confession. Kindaichi always makes the most unromantic things sound romantic. 

“I’m not going to take back what I said,” Kindaichi looks away, suddenly very interested at the flowers on top of the grave, “I know you don’t feel the same way. I know you might be disgusted but I just wanted to let you know.” 

“Kindaichi,” Kunimi’s voice is more firm now, heart beats faster than before, it’s now or never, “I feel the same way too.” 

Kindaichi’s head snaps towards him so fast that Kunimi is afraid if Kindaichi twisted something. “You’re not joking right. Is this a joke” 

Kunimi narrows his eyes at him, trust him to ruin a romantic moment. “When have I ever joked about something like this?”

Kindaichi blinks and shyly wraps his hand around Kunimi’s face. Kunimi find strength in himself so that he can forgive Kindaichi’s dirty finger for touching his face. Before Kunimi can speak up, Kindaichi asks, “Can I kiss you?”

Kunimi rolls his eyes, “‘Can I kiss you?’ Of course, what are we -” 

Before Kunimi can finish his sentence, Kindaichi kisses him, effectively cut off what he was going to say. Kunimi doesn’t complain. 

They stayed like that for a while. Making out with each other seems like the only thing they want to do at the moment. Kissing Kindaichi is better than Kunimi has ever imagined. His lips are soft but his tongue is bold. It goes deeper into Kunimi’s mouth but he enjoys the way Kindaichi taste. It takes them a while before they break up to breathe for air. They look at each other and start to laugh. Kunimi has not feel this happy or content since a long time. 

“So,” Kindaichi tangles their fingers together, “now what.”

Kunimi leans into him. “Nothing, we’re just lovers now but nothing changes significantly. I’ll just be coming here more often and we’ll just spend time kissing and laughing instead of awkwardly dancing around each other. I’ll still come over here for the corpses but I’ll mostly be here for you.” 

“That sounds good,” Kindaichi smiles at him, “Can I kiss you again?”

“Why do you even bother to ask?” Kunimi snorts before dragging Kindaichi down for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I was reading "Body of Work" by Christine Montrose and there's a chapter specifically talking about how in sixteenth century Europe, because were such a high demand for cadavers, many anatomist or students had to find dead bodies to dissect. Some undertakers even sold corpse to those students. That's how this idea came into being. I have no real background of how corpse and flowers work, so take everything I wrote with a pound of salt. This is unbeta-ed so sorry if it sounds weird. Also, I don't know how to write historical medieval English conversation so yea.


End file.
